The defensive walls encircling the historic centre of Campeche are among the best-preserved colonial fortifications in the Americas. Constructed in the late 17th century in direct response to repeated pirate raids — privateers working the Gulf of Mexico regularly attacked this wealthy port — the hexagonal wall system with its eight bastions transformed Campeche into one of the most strongly defended cities in New Spain.
Walking the perimeter of the walls takes about an hour and provides changing perspectives on both the historic centre within and the modern city outside. Most of the bastions are open and contain small museums or public spaces. The walls are particularly atmospheric in the evening, when they are illuminated and the temperature drops to something tolerable. The entire wall system, along with the historic centre it encloses, is part of the UNESCO World Heritage designation.